I and my 2 dogs have taken up mushing only in the last couple of years, long after leaving Wichita, but it's great to see such a fine team racing through my old stomping grounds. This made me smile. Loved seeing Andover Park and the River Walk again... I really miss Wichita.
Love this! Just starting to find a hobby in urban mushing myself. I’ve done carting for a while, but my dog doesn’t quite know left and right. She’ll turn partway but not make a full 90 degree angle on the streets. Still working on her. Ordered a scooter a couple of days ago and can’t wait to give that a try!
Congrats on the incoming new scooter! Carting looks like a lot of fun, but it'll be nice to have the scooter around to increase your access to offroad and less level terrain trail options compared to using a cart. Coming from carting, the new thing you have to worry about will be not running over slack lines - only takes once wrapping the gang line around your front wheel to learn that lesson ;). Consider teaching her the command “line out,” if she doesn’t know it already. Having your dog lean into her harness a little to take the slack out of the line and keep some tension on it while setting up or if you come to a stop briefly (waiting to cross the street for instance) is super helpful, especially if you ever add another dog or dogs to your team. Hitching up 3 excited dogs all trampling over and tangling lines makes “line out” a life saver. Have fun scootering!
awesome video... i just joined a local dog sled club for the bay area here, and they love meeting up and putting the dogs in a group and they all learn together... its gonna be a learning experience. i have a 1 year 3 month old husky... shes gotten pretty big.. pulls REAL hard when you walk her, shes already used to a body harness, as hard as she pulls i dont bother with a collar... and omggggg she loves running and has endless energy.. perfect for when i buy a scooter soon enough.
Awesome video Kelli, and although it wasnt a dirt trail, I loved that 1st course, You handled those turns very nice and with attitude!! Dogs are very well under your coimmands
@SheFlyz Ye she´s a bit small and she cant really focus that well either but I think I might try and make her help me shuffle some snow this winter :) She just adores snow and it might fit her size a bit more haha. Thanks for the tip, I'll try and find some mushers, hopefully we can atleast get a one day trip and meet awesome dogs and having a great time!
Way fun!! Mind if I ask how you trained your dogs to be excellent mushers? I have a 10 month old bordoodle and he loves to chase people on bikes while I ride behind him on a scooter. I want to teach him to mush and stay focused on running the the trail. He gets distracted easily by other dogs, bushes, smells, etc.
Search for 'dog scooter lines' or 'skijoring lines,' there are many online mushing suppliers that carry them. Make sure you get a tug line with a bungee section in it to absorb the shock every time you start and stop (this is for the dog's sake as much as yours). They're also very easy to make, search for 'make your own skijoring lines.' Good luck!
How did you train them to gee and haw so well!!! Their on by was incredibly impressive also!!! We are just starting out with my husky practicing with his harness and me walking behind him trying to teach him directions, but he isn't catching on as fast as I'd like...he also doesn't pull much😞 I'm worried about spending the money on a scooter with him so not excited about this.
Hi Emily, It can be hard to keep their enthusiasm up when you’re in the initial walk-behind-on-a-leash stage. One of the best and easiest ways to boost a dog’s excitement level is to find other mushers (or beginners) to train and practice with. Another option is to have a friend or family member that the dog likes run out ahead of the dog to encourage them to chase after - or switch places with that person and YOU go out in front. Just try to think of ways to make it a fun game for your dog. As to your dog not pulling much, have you done prior obedience work with this dog? If you’re ever spent time encouraging him NOT to pull on a leash, then the initial transition to harness pulling can cause them a little confusion - now it’s OK to pull??? One trick you might use is to return to walking beside him while he pulls something like a chunk of carpet or an old, small tire behind him - just make sure it’s not loud, scary, overly heavy, or likely to slide into him if he lunges forward then stops abruptly. Lots of praise when he applies himself to pulling, and keep the practice sessions short and fun. Gradually, you can allow yourself to fall further and further behind him while he pulls out front. Also, take advantage of any motivational opportunities that you come across during your walk - if your pup likes to chase squirrels and puts on a burst of speed when he sees something ahead of you on the trail, go ahead and run with it and praise him for pulling hard. I'm a big fan of "squirrel nitro." But be ready to practice your "on by" or "leave it" once you catch up to whatever he got excited about :) Lastly, to help with direction training, especially when you’re working by yourself and don’t have another trained dog to help teach the new dog, I highly recommend training on trails and paths that are relatively narrow (not wider than a sidewalk) with clearly defined edges. This keeps the dog moving down an obvious channel, rather than wandering aimlessly on a big open expanse. When you approach a “Y” in the trail, call out the desired directional command. You’ve got a 50/50 chance they’ll pick the correct direction - when they guess correctly, have a jackpot praise party. If they choose wrongly, gently encourage them down the correct path and then praise. Through sheer repetition, they’ll eventually associate gee and haw with the appropriate direction. With some dogs, you can actually steer from behind slightly by drifting towards the path you want them to take. They’ll feel the change in the pull direction and move accordingly. Doesn’t work with all dogs, and you don’t want to rely entirely on this, but it can be a useful cue to help them out when they’re just learning. Good luck and remember to always keep it fun!
+Kelli Brooks thanks! We will give the tire a try as soon as we get another cool day! Yeah we worked REALLY hard with him when he was younger not to pull...now I feel like I've ruined him😕
riana dewi so because I'm having problems making him pull, I am not training him properly? That's not very helpful and the link sent me to a Twitter page where that link didn't work...so sorry I asked you, but the previous commenter was super helpful and I have a scooter now after the tire training and he runs short distances. Maybe try to be helpful instead of critical when you comment?!
The truth is, dogs have their unique way too think, and when you waaaаnt to teach yoooour dog aadvаnced lеssоns and tricks, you ought to ppperceive the secrets behind their actions Wаtch here ==> twitter.com/eb5e2f30b3a81792b/status/822770265151053824 Urban Dooog Mushing in Wichita
Wow this is amazing, they do it like real pros!! I wonder if I could ever try the same with my dog, she has an enormus amount of energy but I think she's a bit small perhaps haha :) How do you even train this?
What temperatures do you train your Dogs please? I live down under. Pretty hot during summer months for my two. Luv your video Also what is the humidity like
Mushing in warmer climates is definitely a challenge, and high humidity doesn’t help. Each dog is different and everything depends on the conditions that day, how hard they like to run, and how far you’re going. Above 45 deg F, I limit our outings to shorter distances and have frequent rest breaks, and if there’s a lake or stream nearby, I let the dogs run around in the water to cool off. I usually stop mushing once temps reach about 60-65 deg F, and at that point we’re only going on very short, easy trips. Always monitor them carefully for signs of overheating, always let them set the pace (unless they’re so excited you need to slow them down), and make sure you thoroughly hydrate your dogs BEFORE you go out (helpful to use water flavor enhancers to encourage them to drink - mixing in some homemade meat broth with no salt added works well for us). Because of work schedules and temperature concerns, I often mush after dark, which obviously has added risks, so if you do that, be sensible about where you ride and make sure you’re super visible - have lights on all the dogs, yourself, and the scooter (wheel lights are especially visible). Purchase or make ganglines from ropes with reflective threads woven throughout, add reflective stripes to the dog’s harnesses, etc. Based on your video, looks like you've already got a nice team going - have fun out there!
Seems you encounter very few dog walkers or human pedestrian obstacles on the path. My dogs took out a very old gentleman and that ruined it for a bit. It's just he stood there in the path with that little white dog of his like he was seeing the 4 horsemen of the Apocalypse bearing down on him. It was just a Lab and a Catahoula and a 220 lbs old fart.
From what I've read Catahoula = lots and lots of energy. Making them a very good working dog.So my guess is you ain't going slow with that combo. Sounds fun. Until accidents.
@Myfilism She looks like she might be a little small for urban mushing - but you could always add a second dog :) It's easiest to train a new dog if you have access to someone who already has a trained team. You can hitch your dog in with the experienced team and they learn by example. If you don't have another musher to assist you, there are a lot of excellent resources online about dog scootering and urban mushing that can help.
I do this in the uk with long board and mountain board, I've only just started out so I'm armature but I used to skate board when I was younger, boy what a rush you get, I'd say go for it
btw how do you like that scooter? im lookin at getting one soon.. how much does a good one cost and what equipment should i buy with it to hook her up? eventually im gonna get a 2nd siberian husky ... double the fun.. lol she needs a playmate anyways
They're good looking dogs, I have brother n sister German shep crossed malamute 18 months, the bitch is more shep looking and a sprinter, the male is more malamute and can go for longer which is a great mix, cheapest way to have fun and by far the best way to exercise these beauty's :)
@Alisa, the easiest method is to hitch an untrained dog with an experienced lead dog that knows the commands already. The new dog will learn by example. Since most of us start out without a trained lead dog, the method I recommend is just to begin using gee and haw commands any time you’re walking your dog. If you’re on a familiar route, the dog will already know where to go, just give the proper command right before the turn and the dog will begin to associate that command with the correct direction. Encourage the dog out in front of you while doing this, rather than having them walk beside you. Eventually, with you walking behind the dog, start to introduce new routes, preferably ones with clearly defined Y’s in the trail/path/sidewalk, so there are only 2 possible choices. Praise enthusiastically when they pick the correct direction, and use gentle pressure on the leash or your own direction of travel to correct them when they pick incorrectly. When you add a scooter to the mix, again start with familiar paths before introducing new routes.
@13johnmachell13 The scooter came from digglerstore dot c o m. My lines are hollow core braided polyethylene rope. The main line has a 12” heavy-duty bungee inserted into the center and sewn on either end to provide shock absorption for the dogs. They’re actually skijoring lines that I found years ago from an online retailer that’s no longer in business, but there are numerous other places that sell similar equipment - just search for skijoring gear.
jeffmaggie I think people like you should keep your comments where they belong.. in the septic tank. I was complimenting him and you are a negative person.
I'm interested in training my dog. Are their groups we can join to find out what to do? You are about 200 miles from me so I was wondering if there is a group somewhere. How do you find them?
I and my 2 dogs have taken up mushing only in the last couple of years, long after leaving Wichita, but it's great to see such a fine team racing through my old stomping grounds. This made me smile. Loved seeing Andover Park and the River Walk again... I really miss Wichita.
Your Belgian tervurens are gorgeous
Love your beautiful Tervs! I just started scootering with my two Malinois. We're having a lot of fun!
I’m in Wichita Ks as well. I’m buying a Siberian Husky and a Drifting Trike to do this exact same thing!! Love your video!
Cool! Have fun out there!
Love this! Just starting to find a hobby in urban mushing myself. I’ve done carting for a while, but my dog doesn’t quite know left and right. She’ll turn partway but not make a full 90 degree angle on the streets. Still working on her. Ordered a scooter a couple of days ago and can’t wait to give that a try!
Congrats on the incoming new scooter! Carting looks like a lot of fun, but it'll be nice to have the scooter around to increase your access to offroad and less level terrain trail options compared to using a cart. Coming from carting, the new thing you have to worry about will be not running over slack lines - only takes once wrapping the gang line around your front wheel to learn that lesson ;). Consider teaching her the command “line out,” if she doesn’t know it already. Having your dog lean into her harness a little to take the slack out of the line and keep some tension on it while setting up or if you come to a stop briefly (waiting to cross the street for instance) is super helpful, especially if you ever add another dog or dogs to your team. Hitching up 3 excited dogs all trampling over and tangling lines makes “line out” a life saver.
Have fun scootering!
If I tried this, every Safety Sally for miles around would call the police to report the "cruelty." My dogs would love this.
Beautiful dog, ...🐶🐶🚲mushing
That funny video,you do two things,excercise your dogs and you do maneuvers excellent video!!!
awesome video... i just joined a local dog sled club for the bay area here, and they love meeting up and putting the dogs in a group and they all learn together... its gonna be a learning experience. i have a 1 year 3 month old husky... shes gotten pretty big.. pulls REAL hard when you walk her, shes already used to a body harness, as hard as she pulls i dont bother with a collar... and omggggg she loves running and has endless energy.. perfect for when i buy a scooter soon enough.
Beautiful dogs😃😃❤❤💟💟💝😍😍😍🐆🐆🐆💕
Awesome video Kelli, and although it wasnt a dirt trail, I loved that 1st course, You handled those turns very nice and with attitude!! Dogs are very well under your coimmands
Thanks!
Yeah! Esp when they cut the corner lol that would have been it for me!
nicely done i roll a dirt dog,, now i am mushing wheel chair for who know how long,, thanks you got my heart rate up
Great video!
Thanks!
that is so awesome.
Awe! That's so awesome!
why do i whatch this? I love dogs and do not have the time to own one... still this makes me happay and sad=/
It was good to see them get on the trails and off the pavement.
@SheFlyz Ye she´s a bit small and she cant really focus that well either but I think I might try and make her help me shuffle some snow this winter :) She just adores snow and it might fit her size a bit more haha.
Thanks for the tip, I'll try and find some mushers, hopefully we can atleast get a one day trip and meet awesome dogs and having a great time!
Way fun!! Mind if I ask how you trained your dogs to be excellent mushers? I have a 10 month old bordoodle and he loves to chase people on bikes while I ride behind him on a scooter. I want to teach him to mush and stay focused on running the the trail. He gets distracted easily by other dogs, bushes, smells, etc.
Probably make that lead line a little shorter to control your dogs more!
Search for 'dog scooter lines' or 'skijoring lines,' there are many online mushing suppliers that carry them. Make sure you get a tug line with a bungee section in it to absorb the shock every time you start and stop (this is for the dog's sake as much as yours). They're also very easy to make, search for 'make your own skijoring lines.' Good luck!
Just got myself a scooter and sulky. They are hauling butt!
Congrats on the new toys, hope you and your dog(s) have a blast!
How did you train them to gee and haw so well!!! Their on by was incredibly impressive also!!! We are just starting out with my husky practicing with his harness and me walking behind him trying to teach him directions, but he isn't catching on as fast as I'd like...he also doesn't pull much😞 I'm worried about spending the money on a scooter with him so not excited about this.
Hi Emily,
It can be hard to keep their enthusiasm up when you’re in
the initial walk-behind-on-a-leash stage. One of the best and easiest ways to
boost a dog’s excitement level is to find other mushers (or beginners) to train
and practice with. Another option is to have a friend or family member that the
dog likes run out ahead of the dog to encourage them to chase after - or switch places with that person and YOU go out in front. Just try to think of ways to make it a fun game for your dog.
As to your dog not pulling much, have you done prior obedience work with this dog? If you’re ever spent time encouraging him NOT to pull on a leash, then the initial transition to harness pulling can cause them a little confusion - now it’s OK to pull??? One trick you might use is to return to walking beside him while he pulls something like a chunk of carpet or an old, small tire behind him - just make sure it’s not loud, scary, overly heavy, or likely to slide into him if he lunges forward then stops abruptly. Lots of praise when he applies himself to pulling, and keep the practice sessions short and fun. Gradually, you can allow yourself to fall further and further behind him while he pulls out front. Also, take advantage of any motivational opportunities that you come across during your walk - if your pup likes to chase squirrels and puts on a burst of speed when he sees something ahead of you on the trail, go ahead and run with it and praise him for pulling hard. I'm a big fan of "squirrel nitro." But be ready to practice your "on by" or "leave it" once you catch up to whatever he got excited about :)
Lastly, to help with direction training, especially when you’re working by yourself and don’t have another trained dog to help teach the new dog, I highly recommend training on trails and paths that are relatively narrow (not wider than a sidewalk) with clearly defined edges. This keeps the dog moving down an obvious channel, rather than wandering aimlessly on a big open expanse. When you approach a “Y” in the trail, call out the desired directional command. You’ve got a 50/50 chance they’ll pick the correct direction - when they guess correctly, have a jackpot praise party. If they choose wrongly, gently
encourage them down the correct path and then praise. Through sheer repetition, they’ll eventually associate gee and haw with the appropriate direction. With some dogs, you can actually steer from behind slightly by drifting towards the path you want them to take. They’ll feel the change in the pull direction and move accordingly. Doesn’t work with all dogs, and you don’t want to rely entirely on this, but it can be a useful cue to help them out when they’re just learning.
Good luck and remember to always keep it fun!
+Kelli Brooks thanks! We will give the tire a try as soon as we get another cool day! Yeah we worked REALLY hard with him when he was younger not to pull...now I feel like I've ruined him😕
riana dewi so because I'm having problems making him pull, I am not training him properly? That's not very helpful and the link sent me to a Twitter page where that link didn't work...so sorry I asked you, but the previous commenter was super helpful and I have a scooter now after the tire training and he runs short distances. Maybe try to be helpful instead of critical when you comment?!
The truth is, dogs have their unique way too think, and when you waaaаnt to teach yoooour dog aadvаnced lеssоns and tricks, you ought to ppperceive the secrets behind their actions Wаtch here ==> twitter.com/eb5e2f30b3a81792b/status/822770265151053824 Urban Dooog Mushing in Wichita
I would trade my dirtbike for those trained dogs haha
Wow this is amazing, they do it like real pros!! I wonder if I could ever try the same with my dog, she has an enormus amount of energy but I think she's a bit small perhaps haha :)
How do you even train this?
What temperatures do you train your Dogs please? I live down under. Pretty hot during summer months for my two. Luv your video
Also what is the humidity like
Mushing in warmer climates is definitely a challenge, and high humidity doesn’t help. Each dog is different and everything depends on the conditions that day, how hard they like to run, and how far you’re going. Above 45 deg F, I limit our outings to shorter distances and have frequent rest breaks, and if there’s a lake or stream nearby, I let the dogs run around in the water to cool off. I usually stop mushing once temps reach about 60-65 deg F, and at that point we’re only going on very short, easy trips. Always monitor them carefully for signs of overheating, always let them set the pace (unless they’re so excited you need to slow them down), and make sure you thoroughly hydrate your dogs BEFORE you go out (helpful to use water flavor enhancers to encourage them to drink - mixing in some homemade meat broth with no salt added works well for us).
Because of work schedules and temperature concerns, I often mush after dark, which obviously has added risks, so if you do that, be sensible about where you ride and make sure you’re super visible - have lights on all the dogs, yourself, and the scooter (wheel lights are especially visible). Purchase or make ganglines from ropes with reflective threads woven throughout, add reflective stripes to the dog’s harnesses, etc.
Based on your video, looks like you've already got a nice team going - have fun out there!
Kelli Brooks thanks Kelli. I appreciate your time and help. Happy scootering
Seems you encounter very few dog walkers or human pedestrian obstacles on the path. My dogs took out a very old gentleman and that ruined it for a bit. It's just he stood there in the path with that little white dog of his like he was seeing the 4 horsemen of the Apocalypse bearing down on him. It was just a Lab and a Catahoula and a 220 lbs old fart.
From what I've read Catahoula = lots and lots of energy. Making them a very good working dog.So my guess is you ain't going slow with that combo. Sounds fun. Until accidents.
Does it have 16" or 20" wheels?
@Myfilism She looks like she might be a little small for urban mushing - but you could always add a second dog :) It's easiest to train a new dog if you have access to someone who already has a trained team. You can hitch your dog in with the experienced team and they learn by example. If you don't have another musher to assist you, there are a lot of excellent resources online about dog scootering and urban mushing that can help.
Planning on doing this with a mountain board!
DOG pulls MAN on (skateboard)MOUNTAIN BOARD.
I do this in the uk with long board and mountain board, I've only just started out so I'm armature but I used to skate board when I was younger, boy what a rush you get, I'd say go for it
Dave Wolsty
Good luck and have fun! I do recommend a helmet though :)
You still running dogs in Wichita?
btw how do you like that scooter? im lookin at getting one soon.. how much does a good one cost and what equipment should i buy with it to hook her up? eventually im gonna get a 2nd siberian husky ... double the fun.. lol she needs a playmate anyways
Excellent video, very fast pulling, are these German shep cross ?
Thank you. They are Belgian Tervurens, often mistaken for German Shepherds.
They're good looking dogs, I have brother n sister German shep crossed malamute 18 months, the bitch is more shep looking and a sprinter, the male is more malamute and can go for longer which is a great mix, cheapest way to have fun and by far the best way to exercise these beauty's :)
Dave Wolsty Agreed, best way I've found to get them enough exercise. Have fun with your team :)
were did you get your scooter
I recently got a Malamute Siberian Husky cross, would you recommend only using this one dog? Also how would you recommend first training the commands?
How do you teach them gee and haw?
@Alisa, the easiest method is to hitch an untrained dog with an experienced lead dog that knows the commands already. The new dog will learn by example. Since most of us start out without a trained lead dog, the method I recommend is just to begin using gee and haw commands any time you’re walking your dog. If you’re on a familiar route, the dog will already know where to go, just give the proper command right before the turn and the dog will begin to associate that command with the correct direction. Encourage the dog out in front of you while doing this, rather than having them walk beside you. Eventually, with you walking behind the dog, start to introduce new routes, preferably ones with clearly defined Y’s in the trail/path/sidewalk, so there are only 2 possible choices. Praise enthusiastically when they pick the correct direction, and use gentle pressure on the leash or your own direction of travel to correct them when they pick incorrectly. When you add a scooter to the mix, again start with familiar paths before introducing new routes.
@13johnmachell13 The scooter came from digglerstore dot c o m. My lines are hollow core braided polyethylene rope. The main line has a 12” heavy-duty bungee inserted into the center and sewn on either end to provide shock absorption for the dogs. They’re actually skijoring lines that I found years ago from an online retailer that’s no longer in business, but there are numerous other places that sell similar equipment - just search for skijoring gear.
The noise from the wheels via the handlebars is transferred to the microphone, it would be better to keep the camera on the head.
Great Video... GO PRO IS HORRIBLE ON SOUND.. I hate the sounds that mine picks up. Fix it GO PRO! Now
This is not a GoPro forum. Try contacting GoPro instead.
jeffmaggie I think people like you should keep your comments where they belong.. in the septic tank. I was complimenting him and you are a negative person.
Eric Owens
Eric Owens
what lines do you use ? would love to know more :D
Lol haven't replied and it's been 9 years
I'm interested in training my dog. Are their groups we can join to find out what to do? You are about 200 miles from me so I was wondering if there is a group somewhere. How do you find them?
wow that looks really fast and dangerous
Only to the dumb and stupid.
i want to urban mush with my husky but i need one of the thing to hook her up in the front can you tell me where you got yours?
TheAGLover10 petsmart
nice I subscribed to
Kim you commented on the wrong video lol xxx
This is a video I made with a recent rescue, and he has taken to it well
ruclips.net/video/bG1tvMChJTk/видео.html
Awesome ride, looks like you have a powerhouse of a puller there! What do you think of your Pawtrekker? Been debating about a new scooter.
I hope they didn't get run over by a gang of moterbiking crew.
They shouldn't be running on pavement for long....